EastEnders- Say You'll Stay
by Bethan Loves
Summary: Isabella Reenie Branning is the eldest daughter of Jack Branning, a fiery angry girl with a taste for trouble. A nineteen year old whose life has been turned upside down by the people she loves most. Read the story of Izzie's difficult life on Albert Square Walford where she will find Love, Friendship and Family...


My name is Isabella Reenie Branning (Picture on the side), daughter of Jack Branning. I am nineteen and a troublemaker. Last time I was in Walford, after going to my grandma Dot's house I broke a lamp and knocked over a table. And then a second time, at my uncle Max's house, I broke a couple of plates. This was the final straw for my dad, he then sent me off to my mums to control my anger.

I hate my mum, always have, always will! But I love my dad, he is the most important man in the world to me and I will never leave him again, not ever!

Chapter One- Make Way For Me

I reach my father flat, grabbing my suitcase and dragging it along with my handbag swinging on my arm. I knock fiercely on the painted door with a tightly clenched fist, the click of heels approach the door on the other side. A couple of seconds pass before the door is pulled open and a figure appears.

My dad stands in front of me, his mouth gawping, "Isabella?" He frowns, his eyes widened at the sight of his daughter.

"Hi Dad" I say before taking my sunglasses off and walking into the flat.

"Wha...what are you doing here?" He follows me back into the flat and watches me as I place my suitcase on the ground and my bag on the table.

"Mums has had enough….." I explain, briefly as I glance around the flat with a nod of my small head.

"What did you do?" Jack continues to frown, assuming that I had done something.

"Why do you always assume that I've done something…" I groan with a sigh as I ask my question, he raises his eyebrows, "Fine…I got kicked out of uni"

"You've not even been there a year yet, Iz…" Dad blows a deep breath, shaking his head in despair.

"So..." I shrug, quirking an eyebrow.

"What exactly did you do?" He narrows his eyes at me in a questioning manner.

"Well a girl in my health class said that I didn't belong in the west end of London and that I'll probably get knocked up by the time I'm twenty so I punched her…" I explain with a shrug of my small shoulders.

"Punched her…?" He almost shouts, his eyes widening at his daughters actions.

"Broke her nose, whatever…." I flop on to the sofa next to my bag, sighing and putting a hand to my hair.

"You broke her nose..?" He shouts, his eyes still wide in horror.

"It's not as bad as it sounds" I

"Isn't it?" Jack turns his head ever so slightly.

"No" I reply, shake my head.

"Fine…" He sighs, "You can stay in my spare room" He nods, the frown disappearing and a smile replacing it.

"Thanks dad" I jump up from the sofa to kiss his cheek and skip towards the bedroom after grabbing my suit case and bag.

"And Izzie…." I turn to face him with a smile on my face, "It's good to see you.."

"You too Dad" I smile before dragging my suitcase into the spare room. I pop my handbag on the bed and the suitcase by the side of the bed. _I'll unpack later; I need to go see my best friends and family 'n' stuff. There's no point hanging around the flat it's obvious my dad if itching to ring my mum to have a go at her!_

"Aren't you gonna unpack, young lady?" My dad asks as I come out of the bedroom with a grin on my face.

"I'll do it later, I need to go see everyone" I grin, excitedly with my heels bouncing off the floor of the flat.

"Fine, just make sure you do….." He believes me, honestly.

"I will, I promise" I say, kissing his cheek and going out the door.

I wander over to Laurens house, glancing around at how much the square had changed and then go up the large stone steps before pressing the doorbell, I hear it ring out through their house, then there's a boom of footsteps running down the stairs and the door opens.

"Izzie?" Lauren's voice asks, her eyes widening at the sight of me.

"Heya Lauren" I grin, bouncing excitedly before Lauren grabs me by the shoulders and pulling me into a tight hug.

"So good to see you.." She draws back with a serious look upon her face, "But what are you doing here?" She asks, her brow furrowing at me.

"Got into a fight at uni, broke a girl's nose…..." I chortle, biting my lip as her eyes widen in shock.

"Right okay…" She frowns, "Still not got that anger under control then?" She inquires, quirking an eyebrow.

"I have.." I nod but shrug before continuing, "It's just my mum stop paying for the boxing lessons…."

"Really?" Lauren raises an eyebrow, puzzled at my mums actions, "Why did she do that?" She questions.

"Because she thinks I'm fine now, but the fight was the last straw I guess, so packed me off to dads" I smile, sarcastically before rolling my eyes.

"Oh well" Lauren sighs, flapping a hand about, "Never mind come on in" She walks back into the hall, "Abi's upstairs, with her boyfriend..." Lauren wiggles her eyebrows with a smirk.

I widen my eyes and ask, "Boyfriend...? When did that happen?" My voice coughs as I speak with a laugh.

"A couple of months ago….." Lauren replies, "I think" She adds, a thinking look appearing on her face.

"So….." My face moves closer to the stairs, "Who is it?" I ask, turning my head at her and then glancing towards the carpeted stairs.

"Jay" She replies, simply.

"Jay? Skinny, ginger, Jay?" My eyes widen and a laugh falls from my mouth

"Yeah" She nods, her lips forming a smirk.

"Oh my god!" I exclaim with a huge giggle, "Seriously…Things really have changed" I chortle before looking at Lauren.

"Abi, Izzie's here" Lauren shouts up the stairs, her face turning towards them as does mine.

"What?" Abi's voice shouts back, replying to Lauren.

"IZZIE IS HERE" Lauren shouts again with a slight sigh.

"Izzie who?" Abi replies, still unsure on who Lauren meant.

"Your cousin" I shout back before Lauren could, a smirk playing on my lips.

"Izzie?" Abi runs to the top of the stairs, Jay following behind her.

Abi jogs down the stairs as fast as she could and pulls me into a tight hug like Lauren did before, "Aren't you going to introduces us?" I ask, smiling a friendly smile at Jay.

"You've already met before, Iz..." Abi groans in an embarrassed before putting a hand to her hair and head.

"I know but not properly" I argue with the shrug of my hands.

Abi sighs before introducing, "Jay this is my cousin, Izzie. Izzie, this is my boyfriend, Jay"

Jay nods to me before speaking, "Nice to meet you" Abi smiles to me, Lauren and Jay before dragging Jay back upstairs.

As the two of them depart, I turn to Lauren "Gonna give me a tour of Walford then?" I ask, a cheeky smile returning to my face.

"It's not like you've not been here before, is it?" She replies, sarcastically smiling.

"I know but things have changed since I've last been here" I explain to her, quirking my eyebrows at her.

"Fine come on then" She grabs my sleeve and drags me out the house, the door slamming behind us.

We make our way across the square, smiling at people as we pass. I trudge into the small garden as Lauren sees Whitney Dean, one of my best mates!

"Whit, Whitney" Lauren shouts to Whit across the square.

"What?" She turns to us, a smile appearing on her face as she sees me, "Izzie…" She squeals before walking over and hugging me just as tightly as the last.

"I seem to be getting way to many hugs today" I stumble as she pulls back from the hug with a grin upon her face.

"What are you doing back here?" She asks with the frown that I had seen so much before appears on her face.

"Don't ask" I groan, snorting and wiping my eye with my sleeve.

"What?" Whitney's stance changes, her head turning at me.

"She got into a fight at uni" Lauren cuts in, answering for me. I nudge her in annoyance as Whitney replies with a slight smile, "Obviously"

"Oi! That's no fair" I yell, pretending to be angry but still laughing.

"But true" Lauren adds, shaking her head and laughing with me.

"I guess" I laugh, smiling as I see a man look over at us giving a nod in my direction before going into the Vic.

"Come on…" I pat my two best friends on the back, "Let's go get a drink to celebrate the old gang back together, yeah?" I ask, nodding my head, excitedly.

"Except Lucy" Whitney mutters in a murmuring voice.

"Yeah, where is Lucy?" I ask, curiously looking at Lauren for an answer.

"We kinda don't speak anymore" Lauren explains, awkwardly.

"Okay, who cares" I shrug, _we were never that close anyway_, "Vic?" I ask, pointing in the direction of the pub.

"Yup come on" We link arms with a laugh and a giggle before ambling over to the pub, The Queen Victoria.

Smiling and laughing we enter the Vic, people turn to see us me the blonde with too much attitude **(Really Izzie! Don't you mean Anger)**, the brunette tomboy and the black haired girl with the hooped earrings back together, Yay!

"Roxy.." I wave her over with a grin on my face, her face returning the huge smile that faced her.

"Izzie what are you doing here?" Roxy rushes over with a smile, behind the bar.

"Visiting" I lie, "How's Amy?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Fine thanks, she's upstairs you can go see her if ya like" Roxy jerks her head towards the back, grinning still.

"I might just do that later" I smile, "Can I have a coke please?" I ask, brightly.

"Sure" She nods with a welcomed smile, beginning to sort out my drink I had asked for.

"Thanks" I mutter before turning round as Roxy gets the drink.

"Not like you….." Whitney points to the coke that Roxy had just produced from behind the bar.

"Well I'm trying to not give my dad have a reason to send me back to mums" I explain with a light shrug.

"Ah, okay" Whitney and Lauren then order their drinks and we then find a seat. As we talk and laugh, I forgot how the events at my mum's house had destroyed so much of my life.

"Whitney, can I have a word?" The man from earlier comes over to us, with a slight worried look on his handsome face.

"Sure" She nods to him, "Will be back in a second.." She turns to us quickly before standing up and going with the man.

"Who's that?" I ask, furrowing my brow at Lauren as Whitney disappears behind the bar and into the back room of the Vic.

"Ryan" Lauren replies, absentmindedly as she takes a sip of her drink.

"Ryan?" I repeat, questioningly almost screwing my face in puzzlement.

"Whitney's brother" She adds to her answer, sighing.

"Her brother?" I repeat, questioning again.

"Yeah" Lauren confirms with a nod of the head.

"He is fit as" I exclaim, with a dangerous smirk on my face.

"Don't tell Whit that she'll have a fit" She narrows her eyes at me, chuckling with the shake of her head.

"Hey that rhymed" I laugh, Lauren laughs a little as well, "So where does he work?"

"Here and with your dad" She replies, simply.

"My dad? Well, that's a coincidence innit?" I waggle my eyebrows at her with a smirk.

"Don't go gettin ideas" Lauren wiggles a pointing finger at me.

"You know me too well, Lauren" I laugh, putting an arm on her back.

"Course I do" Lauren shrugs, raising her eyebrows.

"So where's he staying?" I ask, curiously a smile playing at my lips.

"I dunno, actually" Lauren thinks for a moment, leaning on the table.

"Shame!" I smirk, "Would make a great one night stand!"

"Isabella!" Lauren exclaims, using my full name.

"Joking, Lauren! Joking!" I laugh as Whitney returns from behind the bar with a smile, "I was wondering..." I begin, biting my lip.

"You thinking?" Whitney jokes, sitting down once more with a chuckling smile.

"Shut up!" I smirk, slapping her arm, "Do you two wanna go clubbing tonight? Maybe to celebrate my great return?" Lauren snorts at the last sentence.

"Yeah, sounds fun" Lauren nods, agreeing to come with me.

"Would love to...but..." Whitney pauses, leaning on her arm with a sigh.

"Please Whit" I beg, giving puppy dog eyes at her.

"Bianca wants me to watch the kids" She explains, shrugging.

"All you ever seem to do is that" Lauren exclaims saddened.

"True!" I agree.

"I'm sorry guys, maybe another time…yeah?" Whitney smiles, sympathetically with the shake of her head, apologising.

Later on that day Lauren and I decided to go to the club, make the most of it even though Whitney had bailed on us.

Rooting through my suitcase, I had managed to find a dress to suit the occasion. I grabbed my makeup bag from my handbag and the dress before wandering towards the bathroom but my dad's voice stops me.

"Be careful later please…" Dad says, following me into the hallway.

_Further into the conversation_

"Honestly, Dad? I'm only going to the club, it's not like anything will happen" I tell him from the opposite side of the door, whilst getting ready to go out.

"All I'm saying is be careful" He replies, leaning on the wall beside the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I always am, Dad" I groan, slipping into my dress.

"Yes, because your not clumsy or impulsive with decisions" He says, sarcastically, "Do you remember the last time you were here? At Dots?"

"That was an accident" I reply, simply with a sigh from my father.

"And it was an accident the second time, at Max's" He sighs, in frustration.

"I said, I was sorry" I do the zip up and come out the room, "And besides, I paid them both back anyway" I tells him, before turning round holding a necklace to my neck, "Clasp" I instruct, waiting with my back to him.

Once he had done it, I turned back to him as he looked me up and down, "Look at you, all grown up..." He smiles, "You remind me so much of your mum when she was your age"

I grin before replying with a cheeky smile, "Shame she's such a bitch now, ey?"

"Go on, you" He gives me a shove, "Go to your...thing... Whatever you kids call it these days"

"Oh my god, dad, you make yourself sound so old" I groan, moving to the sofa and putting my shoes on.

"Well I am old" He retorts, pretending to sound like an old man as he stands over me, watching closely.

"You are so not, you're ..." I think for a moment, "Dad" I finish going up to him and placing a kiss on his cheek before going out the door and into the square.

I met Lauren in the square, she wore a red, sparkly dress with heeled boots. Her hair was lightly curled and her makeup simple but elegant.

"OMG! Lauren, you look gorge…!" I call, approaching and watching my cousin as she gives a small whirl to me.

"As do you..." She laughs with a smile, "Now let's PAR-TY!" She squeals, linking arms with me and dragging me towards the club.

As we enter the club, I notice the man from earlier, the one Lauren and I were talking about. Ryan Malloy, Whitney's brother, was stood behind the bar/counter. Lauren orders us some shots as I find a seat, we drink them quickly before stumbling over to the dance floor. We drunkenly dance together but soon Lauren is dancing with some other men, getting further and further away from me.

As I danced, a man came up behind me. I could feel his breath on my shoulder as he got closer.

"Let's go outside babe" The man said, more like told me before dragging me by the hand outside.

The man pushed me against the wall and began to kiss my neck. "Ge...get off...me" I beg, shouting as loud as I could.

"Hey mate..." A man says coming out of the club, "I don't think she wants you doing that" He defends me, scowling from the shadows.

"And what would you know what she wants…." He smirks, still kissing my neck, "You jealous, mate?!" The creep asks, his hand travelling down my waist.

"So what if I was, she's a beautiful girl…" I blush at his words but squeal as I feel the man's hand reach my bum, "But I still think she's terrified and doesn't want you to touch 'er" I recognised the man as he stepped out of the shadows. It was Ryan... Whitney's brother!

"Now go…" Ryan shouts, almost growling at the man, "And you're barred!" He calls after the creep, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Are you alright?" He then asks, his hand resting on my arm in concern.

"I am now…" I smile up at him, glancing down at where his hand was placed. He quickly retracts his arm as I speak again, "Thank you" I smile, breathlessly, "Your Ryan, right?" I ask, blinking a little.

"Yeah, Ryan Malloy..." He nods, putting a hand behind his head, "Ho-how?" He manages to mumble but is cut off when I ask a question.

"Whitney's brother?" I ask, biting my lip slightly as I look up at him in interest.

"How did ya know?" He asks with a tiny wink.

"Best mate, int she!" I chuckle, with a grin.

"Really? How come I've never met you?" Ryan asks with a flash of a cheeky smile.

"Been at uni haven't I?" I explain, smiling back.

"Why you back?" He asks, questioning me. _Seriously! What was with this guy about_ _questions?_

"Got kicked out" I tell him with a shrug of my petite shoulders.

"Why?" _Another question!_

"Does that matter?" I ask, ignoring his final question.

"I suppose not…" He shakes his head, rubbing his stubbly chin with his hand.

"Thank you…" My hands rub together as I look up into his eyes, "For saving me…" I grin, playing with my nails, I roll my eye before closing them, "I've already said that, haven't I?" I ask, shaking my head with a bite my lip.

He nods, chuckling at my question, "Right, another question…" I sigh, still grinning, "How can I repay you?" I ask, my eyebrows scrunching up as I gaze up to him.

"I'm sure I can think of something" I giggle as he speaks, "Maybe a drink with the beautiful girl?" He asks, a smile gazed down to me.

"You don't even know my name yet" I chuckle, "It's Izzie…" I smile, sweetly at him as I speak.

"Does this Izzie, have a last name?" He asks, a hand over mine.

I gasp, looking down at his hand "Branning" I reply quickly, looking up at him with a smile and the bite of my lip.

"As in Jack and Max Branning?" He questions, frowning even looking a little scared of my full answer.

"Jack's my dad" I explain, with a shrug and a smile.

"Shit, if I'd known that I would never...you know?" He indicates towards me.

"You're scared of my dad?" I smirk, laughing lightly.

"No it's just..." He pauses, biting his lip. _God, he looked sexy when he did that! Wh-wait, did I just think that! No..no I didn't!_

"Just?" I ask, fluttering my eyelashes at his face.

"…He's my boss" Ryan manages to finish his sentence.

"Does that matter?" I ask with a frown.

"Well..." Ryan pauses, "The fact I could lose my job"

"By having a drink with me..?" I ask, cautiously.

"Your only 19, six years younger than me" He exclaims, quirking his eyebrows at me.

"It's not like you're sleeping with me, is it?" **(You sure of that, Izzie?) **I ask, shaking my head with a snort, "It's just a drink…"

After rounds and rounds of drinks and shots, I felt like Ryan was someone I wanted to be with, someone I wanted more than anything but it cannot be. He is my best friends brother and my father's employee and for that I will never be able to live with.

_After the drinks_

"And would it be too soon to ask whether you'd like to do this again sometime?" He asks as we come out of the club and sit on a bench outside.

"I don't think so" I shake my head, genuinely smiling at me.

"Wh-when are you free?" He manages to murmur out of hi perfect mouth.

"Tomorrow, the next day... Anytime, just got back so don't have any plans…" I grin, tucking a piece of my curly blonde hair behind my ear.

"You're a funny girl, Izzie" I look at the ground, biting my lip, "Beautiful, sexy..." He trails off.

I look back up at him, "You barely know me..." I reply, still biting my lip a little.

"No, you're right, I don't" He turns his head and begins to lean in closer, "But I would like to..."

I lean in and whisper, "I would too…" My breath hitches as he slowly gets closer and closer until I could then feel his breath on my face.

It felt like millions of tiny sparks were flying off us as his lips grazed over mine. His large hands find my petite waist as I lean upwards, my hands tangle in his hair.

"Ryan" A voice calls, "Have you seen...?" Lauren doesn't finish, she just stares as we quickly break apart.

"Lauren..." I gasp, standing up away from Ryan's arm that was holding my waist just less than a minute ago.

Lauren's mouth forms a large 'o' shape as she gasps and runs out away from us.

"I'm sorry…" I quickly speak to Ryan, pressing another dragged out kiss to his lips before heading after Lauren, leaving Ryan sat on the bench his hands in a shrugging position.

As Lauren storms away, I follow listening to her continuous rant, "You promised you would get yourself mixed up with him" She pauses, "And there I find you, making out with him" She turns and glares at me in anger.

"It's no big deal, Lauren" I shrug, shaking my head with a slight smile that seemed to anger her even more.

"No big deal?" Lauren repeats, a slight growl in her voice, "He's Whitney's brother for god's sake!" She exclaims, her eyes widened.

"It's not like it was anything serious" I frown, taking a deep, long breath before continuing, "It was only snogging"

"Whatever" Lauren sighs scowling at me, "I'll leave you to do whatever posh girls do..."

"Aw, Lauren…. Come on don't be like that…" I groan as I watch her walking away with her arms folded across her chest. I look up at the sky with a large puff, running a hand through my hair before calling, "Don't tell Whitney, please..." She doesn't even turn round as I watch her walk away.


End file.
